Records of York: Amethyst Band of Hope of the Society of Friends

Minutes, 1874-1886 (1 vol.) [G 18.1]; including annual reports; Attendance book, 1874-[1883] (1 vol.) [G 18.2]

At a meeting at the home of Jemima Spence in September 1874, a group of York Friends decided to set up the Amethyst Band of Hope for the children of Friends. Fielden Thorp was the first president and Elizabeth Burtt acted as secretary. Children pledged 'I promise to abstain from all intoxicating liquors as a beverage' in order to join. The opening meeting was held a month later. The Band of Hope was still active in 1886, and indeed its meetings were attracting record attendances of around 50, but no minutes have survived after this period. Several other Bands of Hope also operated in York.

The records are numbered and arranged according to the system used when they were in Clifford Street Meeting House

The conditions of deposit include a clause requiring written prior permission from a Friend Custodian for access to consult current legal documents and any material less than fifty years old

The collection of archives of the Society of Friends formerly held at the Friends Meeting House in Clifford Street, York

In English

Contents listed in Handlist 75, "Inventory of the records of Yorkshire General Meeting and York and Thirsk Monthly Meetings of the Society of Friends formerly preserved at the Friends' Meeting House, Clifford Street, York" (1986)

As with access, the photocopying of current legal documents and any material less than fifty years old requires the permission of a Friend Custodian

Related material in Leeds University Library: Records of York Preparative Meeting and York Friends Temperance Association. Related material in other repositories: Records of York Friends Sabbath School, York City Archives

The records are deposited and remain the property of the Society of Friends